What are the most significant ways that New Hampshire has changed over the past 25 years? a) The increased level of participation of women in the life and leadership of New Hampshire. b) The increase in the number of people of color in the State - immigrants and refugees from abroad, and Americans moving here from other states. The virtually all-white population of New Hampshire has been an impoverishment for all of us, and the new diversity evident on our strees and in our towns is a joy and an enrichment beyond words.
What in religion and the Episcopal Church has changed the most over the last quarter century? a) profound shift from seeing the clergy as the ministers of the Church to seeing every member of the Church as a minister b) a focus on reaching out to the most vulnerable, those Jesus Christ was most concerned about and most called us to minister to c) an intentional welcoming of ALL of God's children - not just "folks like us," but the marginalized, the mentally ill, gay and lesbian people, the physically challenged, those who are questioning their faith and even angry with institutional religion
What Granite Staters would you say inspired you? How?
a) Jonathan Daniels, a young Episcopal seminarian from Keene, who went south to help register African Americans to vote, and gave his life to save a young black girl from the shotgun blast of a racist sheriff b) my predecessors as Bishop of New Hampshire: Tod Hall (VI Bishop of New Hampshire, who was always fighting with the Union Leader about social causes, and who was censured twice by the House of Bishops for his openness and welcome of clergy and laity from other denominations; Phil Smith (VII Bishop of New Hampshire), the consummate pastor; Doug Theuner (VIII Bishop of New Hampshire, who changed my life by taking the risk of hiring me, an openly gay man, as his assistant, and who fought tirelessly for justice for those denied it) c) Two retired priests of this diocese: Carl Schaller, the most humble, faithful priest I know, fiercely devoted to his Littleton and No. Woodstock congregations, passionate about the environment, and active to this day despite his advanced age; and Ron Prinn, recently deceased, who stayed open to God's guidance and teachintg in ways that still inspire me after his death.
What would you consider your favorite spot in New Hampshire and why? a) driving through the 13 Mile Woods along the Androscoggin River, north of Berlin and Milan, through Errol, putting in on the Magalloway River and winding my way into Lake Umbagog, one of the most beautiful and pristine and natural places I Know, traveling up Rapid River, keeping my eyes peeled for eagles, loons, moose and the like b) Church Island, site of the first boys summer camp, and now the site of church services in the middle of Squam Lake; meeting God there is so easy, just being there is worship! c) My back yard. I don't get to be at home much anymore, working in my perennial beds, watching the birds - so it has become even more precious to me. Most of us here in New Hampshire have more beauty in our own backyards than some people get to see in their whole lives - and I fear we all too much take it for granted.
Where do you think New Hampshire should put its energies in the next 25 years? I would hope we could recover our commitment to the common good. We've gotten too independent. Too many people have that attitude that "I'm okay, so to heck with everybody else, especially those who don't have it so good." a) The common good says that the education of ALL of our children is the responsibility of ALL of us. And our shared responsibility calls us to fund that education - not with sin taxes and unequal and unfair taxes on the middle class and elderly, but falling more heavily on those most able to pay (people like me) b) The common good calls us to change our prison system - from one that has become mostly about incarceration, to one whose goal is rehabilitation. c) The common good calls us to get serious about protecting, saving and restoring the environment.
